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<title>The Starless Sky by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623291">The Starless Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria'>Alexandria (heartfullofelves)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Xena: Warrior Princess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Post-A Friend In Need, Tea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:35:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eve and Gabrielle, both grieving for Xena, have a cup of tea together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eve &amp; Gabrielle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hold Me: A Comfort Prompfest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Starless Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Any/original, a nice cup of tea</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabrielle sat on a log in front of the campfire, staring at the flames but not seeing them. She glanced up when Eve pressed a warm cup into her hands. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>“You looked like you needed it,” Eve replied, joining Gabrielle on the log. She held up her own cup. “I miss her too.”</p>
<p>Gabrielle breathed in a strong, earthy aroma, watching tendrils of steam escape into the night air. “Is this tea?” The drink was rare, but she’d tried it a couple of times before. That was years ago now.</p>
<p>Eve nodded. “I picked some up on my travels in the East. I’m almost certain it has healing properties.” Her smile was sad, one that Gabrielle hadn’t witnessed before.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Gabrielle drank, and sighed as warm, comforting liquid coursed through her system. There was something special about that first sip. “I woke up this morning and reached out for her. And when I couldn’t feel her, I remembered all over again.” Her chest ached, and tears came to her eyes. She drank some more. “But giving you the news today was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”</p>
<p>Eve inched closer and held Gabrielle’s arm. They drank in silence, not moving except to put more wood on the fire. It was a cloudy night, the moon and stars hidden from view. Fitting, Gabrielle thought.</p>
<p>After a while, the silence grew too much for her. She finished her tea – though she kept the cup in her hands for warmth – and cleared her throat. “I had a lot of time to think on my way back from Jappa,” she said. “And I’ve decided that after we’ve taken her ashes to Amphipolis, I’m going to stay with the Amazons. For as long as I can. We lost so many at Helicon… They’d welcome you too.”</p>
<p>Eve wiped her fingers under her eyes. “Mm. I’ll come with you, but mostly because I think we need to stick together. We’re both grieving.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Gabrielle squeezed Eve’s shoulder in gratitude. “You know, Varia’s still alive. If you were wondering.”</p>
<p>“Finish your tea,” Eve said with just a hint of indignation.</p>
<p>Gabrielle smirked into her empty cup.</p>
<p>Later, she lay on her bedroll, gazing up at the starless sky. Xena’s urn was cradled in her arms.</p>
<p>“We’ll get through this,” Eve whispered.</p>
<p>Gabrielle wept, but they were the most promising words she’d heard in weeks.</p>
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